the thinker
Cola
Cautious, observant, slow to trust - and completely worth the wait. She watches everything before she acts. She was the first to solve the treat puzzle, and the first to look bored by it.
about ↓
Built by someone who’s always had a cat in the room - and made every mistake at least once.
The Cat Manual exists because most cat advice online is too clinical, too vague, or written by someone who’s clearly never lived with one.
how this started ↓
There has always been a cat in the house.
on the sofa. on the keyboard. on this paragraph, probably.
Growing up, there was always a cat around - warmth that moved and occasionally knocked your glass off the table. Cats were just part of what home felt like.
That familiarity turned into actual curiosity. Why do cats knead? What does a slow blink mean? Why does one cat want constant affection while another barely tolerates the same room? So I started reading - behavioural research, nutrition studies, veterinary literature - and realised how much of it never reaches normal cat owners, buried under a landfill of recycled blog-spam.
The Cat Manual is my attempt to close that gap. Not a clinical database, not a listicle farm. Just evidence, honestly weighed, by someone who actually lives with cats who have opinions.
- Bart
the actual bosses ↓
Meet Cola & Chili.
Two girls who’ve taught me more about cat behaviour than any textbook - mostly by refusing to follow it.
the instigator
Chili
Fearless, loud, and deeply convinced that 5am is a reasonable time to have opinions. She's the reason I know so much about feline vocalisation - because she has a lot to say, and says it.
the non-negotiables ↓
Three things I won’t compromise on.
01
Sourced, or it doesn't ship
Every guide starts with what the research actually says - not what sounds reassuring. I read the studies, then translate them into things you can do on an ordinary Tuesday.
02
Honest about the hard parts
Cats scratch furniture. They knock things over at 3am. They get sick. I won't pretend cat ownership is a Pinterest board - and that honesty is the whole point.
03
Opinions, not 47 caveats
The internet is full of cat advice that hedges everything into mush. I'll tell you what I actually think matters - so you spend less time anxious-Googling and more time with your cat.
things I hold to be true ↓
A few opinions I’ll defend.
- A bored cat is an unhappy cat - enrichment isn't a luxury.
- Most “bad behaviour” is a communication attempt worth decoding.
- Good information shouldn't be locked behind a vet visit.
- If a site can't tell you why, be suspicious.
- Cats chose to stay with us. We owe them the effort.